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Georgiana Cavendish (née Spencer), Duchess of Devonshire

17 of 1425 portraits by Sir Joshua Reynolds

© National Portrait Gallery, London

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Georgiana Cavendish (née Spencer), Duchess of Devonshire

attributed to Sir Joshua Reynolds
oil on canvas, feigned oval, circa 1761
23 in. x 18 1/2 in. (584 mm x 470 mm)
Given by the sitter's great-grandson, Lord Ronald Charles Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 1896
Primary Collection
NPG 1041

Images

The elaborate frame was probably made about t…

Sitterback to top

Artistback to top

  • Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792), Painter and first President of the Royal Academy. Artist or producer associated with 1425 portraits, Sitter associated with 40 portraits.

Related worksback to top

  • NPG D9192: (Margaret) Georgiana Spencer (née Poyntz), Countess Spencer; Georgiana Cavendish (née Spencer), Duchess of Devonshire (after)
  • NPG D41998: (Margaret) Georgiana Spencer (née Poyntz), Countess Spencer; Georgiana Cavendish (née Spencer), Duchess of Devonshire (after)
  • NPG D41999: (Margaret) Georgiana Spencer (née Poyntz), Countess Spencer; Georgiana Cavendish (née Spencer), Duchess of Devonshire (after)

Linked publicationsback to top

  • Ingamells, John, National Portrait Gallery: Mid-Georgian Portraits 1760-1790, 2004, p. 144
  • Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 176
  • Simon, Jacob, The Art of the Picture Frame: Artists, Patrons and the Framing of Portraits in Britain, 1997 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 8 November 1996 - 9 February 1997), p. 64, 160 Read entry

    Carved and gilt pine, mitred and keyed, with working in the gesso as described below. 6 inches wide.

    This sketch of the future Duchess of Devonshire and celebrated leader of Whig society as a young girl, was painted in about 1761. The elaborate rococo frame was probably made about the same time but was fitted to the picture by the Gallery in this century, replacing a mid-nineteenth century compo frame visible in an old photograph of the portrait.

    This type of French-inspired heavily overloaded rococo frame is not commonly found, but was occasionally favoured for pastels and small portraits because of its richness of effect. In scale and detail the centres and corners are not unlike those on the much larger frame of Hudson's portrait of Handel, and the back edge is worked in the gesso in an identical manner. The carving, however, is less crisp and the top edge is scored in the gesso with lines and cross bands somewhat in the manner of the sight edge of two Contemporary portraits by Francis Cotes. Like them it may have been the work of a Huguenot maker.

Events of 1761back to top

Current affairs

George, Prince of Wales marries Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz at St James' Palace. He is crowned George III two weeks later.
Buckingham House, on the site of present-day Buckingham Palace, is purchased for the royal family.
Bridgewater canal, engineered by James Brindley, opens as Britain's first canal.




Art and science

Establishment of Matthew Boulton's toy factory, the Soho Manufactory, near Birmingham; considered the first modern factory in Britain.
Allan Ramsay becomes Painter to the King.

International

Seven Years' War: General Sir Eyre Coote captures Pondicherry from the French in India. A combined Prussian-Hanoverian-British force led by Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick defeats a large French army at the Battle of Villinghausen. France and Spain sign the Pacte de Famille forming an alliance against Britain. Prime Minister William Pitt the Elder fails to garner support to declare war on Spain.

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